Diaper



Nov. 14, 1950 A. CHAMBERS DIAPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1950 8 N RH mb e 16 A u a r M A w\ Nov. 14, 1950 L. A. CHAMBERS DIAPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1950 INVENTOR. [aura A. Chambers Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIAPER Laura A. Chambers, San Francisco, Calif.

Application January 16, 1950, Serial No. 138,879

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in garments and has particular reference to a diaper.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a garment or diaper wherein body secretions, such as urine, will be caught and retained in a receptacle positioned within the diaper, to be later emptied.

A further object is to produce a garment which will be comfortable, one which will be sanitary, and one wherein cloth portions may be employed to separate the impervious portion of the diaper from the body.

A further object is to provide a diaper wherein any urine discharged by the wearer will seep into a receptacle where it will be retained, irrespective of the position of the wearer.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my diaper, as the same would appear in use,

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the diaper, per se, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the fluidretaining cup, a portion thereof being broken away,

Fig. 4 is a top-plan View of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cup in inverted position, preparatory to removal and emptying.

The ordinary diaper usually consists of a garment made of absorbtive material, whereby any urine expelled from the body will be absorbed, after which it is necessary to remove the diaper; otherwise an uncomfortable condition will exist and in older people especially, a skin irritation will take place.

Applicant has, therefore, devised a diaper which may be worn by a person of any age, from an infant upward; and a diaper which does not have to be changed except at comparatively long intervals; a diaper which will permit free movement of the body and yet one wherein any urine discharged will be caught and retained in an inverted cup-like receptacle, thus leaving the major portion of the garment comparatively dry and comfortable in contradistinction to the ordinary wet and absorbtive diaper.

In the accompanying drawings wherein, for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, my diaper, as shown, consists of a blank having an hour-glass shape so as to provide a front portion 5 and a back portion 6, which blank is made of impervious material.

When the sides of the blank are fastened together, as shown at I and 8, either by stitching or in any other manner, a pair of short pants is formed. This pair of pants has a waist band 9, preferably made of a resilient material.

Leg openings are provided and are also bound with a resilient material, as shown at I I and I2.

Secured within the waist band 9, are resilient straps, as shown at I3 and I4, over which may be draped a fabric pad, as shown at l6 and I1 respectively. These pads are merely for the purpose of keeping the impervious material forming the outer portion of the garment away from the body of the individual when it is so desired.

Secured to and forming part of the lower portion of the body of the garment is a bag, I8, in which is positioned an inverted fluid-retaining cup I9, the same being held in position by an elastic band 2 I. This fluid-retaining cup is preferably shaped as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, so as to comfortably fit the legs at a point adjacent the crotch 0f the individual.

The outer surface of the cup is provided with grooves 22, while the bottom edge of the cup is provided with connecting grooves 23.

The result of this construction is that, when the garment is in use, as shown in Fig. 1, the cup I9, will hang in a pendent-like position between the legs of the wearer, with the result that any discharge of urine, whether Voluntary or involuntary, will flow through gravity onto the top of the cup [9 and will thence follow the grooves 22 and 23, to a point inside of the cup. Natural movement of the individual will, at times, com-. press the cup so that air within the cup will be forced out thereof, together with any fluid therein which fluid will rise around the outside of the cup, but as soon as the pressure is released the vacuum within the cup will return all fluid to the interior of the cup, thus storing the fluid within the cup; and by this continued operation the cup can be entirely filled, if need be. However, the cup has a capacity greater than the average discharge and, consequently, the cup seldom becomes entirely filled.

It is, of course, understood that different-sized garments are to be constructed in proportion to the sizes of individual wearers; for instance, a arment for infants would have a much smaller cup than a garment for adults.

When it is desired to empty the cup, the garment is removed and the same grasped at a point adjacent the band 2|, after which the garment is quickly inverted so that the cup is in the position shown in Fig. 5, after which the band is removed, the hand placed under the cup as shown in this figure, and the bag portion lifted ofi of the cup, after which the cup may be emptied and replaced. The bag portion of the cup may be sponged or otherwise cleaned and the cup replaced, ready for further use.

It will thus be seen that I have accomplished a device which will accomplish all the objects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A diaper-like garment comprising an hourglass shaped blank folded upon itself to form a pant structure, a bag suspended from the bottom 4 of said garment and an inverted fluid-retaining cup positioned in said has.

2. A diaper-like garment comprising an hourglass shaped blank folded upon itself to form a pant structure, a bag suspended from the bottom of said garment, an inverted fluid-retaining cup positioned in said bag, and means for retaining the side walls of the bag in engagement with the sides of said inverted cup.

3. A diaper-like garment having a pendent portion to be positioned between the legs of the wearer of the garment, an inverted resilient cup removably positioned in said pendent portion, ribs formed on the sides and bottom edges of said inverted cup, whereby fluid discharged into said diaper will be deposited in said cup when said cup is alternately compressed and released by the wearer, effecting a pumping action to discharge air from said cup and create a vacuum therein.

LAURA A. CHAMBERS.

No references cited. 

